Gliwice/Rüsselsheim. It’s a big day for the Opel plant in Gliwice, Poland. Today the very first Cascada, Opel’s elegant mid-size class convertible, leaves the assembly line. The debut model is a seashell color and features a 1.6 turbo gasoline engine. The newcomer makes its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in early March.

Many special guests came to celebrate the official start of production. “Today is a really special day, not only for the Gliwice plant, but also for Opel. The Cascada is the next building block in our product offensive. Following the ADAM and the Mokka, with the Cascada we are now also reaching customers in segments where we have not yet been present,” says Steve Girsky, Opel Supervisory Board Chairman, GM Vice Chairman and President GM Europe.

Girsky welcomed the Polish Deputy Prime Minister and guest of honor, Janusz Piechocinski, who said, “Gliwice is city rich in tradition in the Upper Silesia industrial area. Its importance for the Polish economy is immense. The fact that another Opel model will be produced here once again spotlights the good work the region and the plant itself deliver.”

Since its groundbreaking in 1996, the Gliwice plant has been a pillar of GM manufacturing. The Cascada is already the sixth Opel model the team in Poland is building - at highest quality and in state-of-the-art production facilities. “We are especially proud that we were chosen to build the first convertible developed by Opel. It is a complex undertaking that our highly motivated team mastered with brilliance. So today is a very special day for us,” added Plant Manager Andrzej Korpak.

Elegance and tradition

With the Cascada Opel returns to the mid-size class convertible segment in a new, refreshing look and with the best of modern technologies. The elegant newcomer carries on the long tradition of timeless, classic Opel cabrios from the fifties and sixties. It is the first convertible engineered and built by Opel. The Cascada promises a return to the roots of pure, unadulterated driving fun.

Opel’s new convertible is a classic four-seater with an elongated silhouette and a high-quality soft top. Heading to the top of Opel’s line-up, the new open-air model is a mid-size convertible not only by its size (length: almost 4.7 meters; width 1.84 meters excl. mirrors) but also by its allure and the premium technologies and features it offers.

Individualization with huge selection of extras

At market launch ten exterior colors are available, and they can be combined with three roof colors. In addition, wheels are available in nine different designs and sizes from 17 to 20 inches. In the interior, the Cascada offers four elegant equipment and trim options, including two top-quality leather variants, an extraordinary degree of elegance. Cascada owners can choose between three optional infotainment and navigation systems that can be combined with Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB+) and can integrate mobile telephone functions.

Highest levels of safety and driving fun are ensured by driver assistance, protection and comfort systems such as the adaptive chassis system FlexRide for 980 euros, the second generation Opel Eye front camera with many new functions (800 euros) and the premium ergonomic AGR certified seat for driver and front passenger (685 euros). Further comfort extras are also optionally available, including electric seat adjustment and ventilation, a heated steering wheel and electrical auxiliary heater that can be activated by remote control.

The Cascada comes with a broad and efficient powertrain line-up. On the gasoline side next to the 1.4-liter Turbo unit with 88 kW/120 hp or 103 kW/140 hp, the completely newly constructed 125 kW/170 hp 1.6-liter SIDI Turbo with direct injection is available. On the diesel side the 121 kW/165 hp 2.0 CDTI ecoFLEX ensures optimum power delivery and high economy. With six-speed manual transmission and Start/Stop, it consumes just 5.2 liters per 100 km and emits only 138 g/km CO2. Just like the 1.6 SIDI Turbo, the 2.0-liter Turbo diesel can also be combined with six-speed automatic transmission. The portfolio will soon be completed by the efficient and powerful 2.0 BiTurbo CDTI ecoFLEX with 143 kW/195 hp, maximum torque of 400 Nm, six-speed manual transmission and Start/Stop technology.

The Cascada is part of Opel’s multi-billion euro model offensive introducing 23 new vehicles and 13 new powertrains from 2012 through 2016. The elegant convertible makes its premiere at the Geneva Motor Show from March 7 – 17, 2013 and will be available at dealerships beginning in April.